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Salt Left in the Shaker?
Jesus describes his followers as being “salt” and “light” in the world in Matthew 5. When you think about salt, it doesn’t really have a whole lot of value when it’s just sitting in a salt shaker. Si... -
liturgy
Father God–You invite us to come as a
Father God–You invite us to come as a child to his/her daddy. You invite us to open our souls to You. You invite us to lay our desires before You. You are fond of us, Your children–so we come to You h... -
liturgy
Inspired by Psalm 8 (2)
LORD our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. You set Your glory above the heavens. We see your power in galaxies that spin in space, and see your care in the sparrows feeding in the snow... -
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Taken with a Grain of Salt
It’s a warning people have understood for centuries. Some advice needs to be taken “with a grain of salt.” Ever wondered what was meant by that? In ancient times, salt was hard to come by, expensive, ... -
series
Psalm 19 | Creation Reflects God
Introduction During my time in seminary (and the year after I graduated) I spent a lot of time at a church in southern New Jersey. It’s actually how I met Scott Bullock, TPW board member and creator... -
liturgy
Lord–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Thank
Lord–Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Thank You that there’s no place we can hide from Your Spirit, no place we can flee from Your presence. We can’t go beyond the reach of Your love, nor out-distance the... -
Quote
Salt was salt was salt, what was the point of having two or three salt companies?” -
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Without an Outlet
Just as our bodies need exercise to be strong physically, our faith needs exercise if we are to be strong spiritually. It has often been noted that several rivers flow into the Dead Sea, but no river ... -
illustration
Surrounded by Beauty
I am abashed, solitary, helpless, surrounded by a beauty that can never belong to me. But this sadness generates within me an unspeakable reverence for the holiness of created things, for they are pur... -
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The Poor in Spirit at an Oregon State Correctional Institution
In June 2024, I (A. J.) had the opportunity to visit the Oregon State Correctional Institution in Salem, Oregon, to meet with a group of inmates who had read one of my recent books. The experience was... -
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A Social Media Fast
So in the last three years, in order to reorient myself and head back onto the narrow way, I’ve given up social media and/or the internet for Lent. At first it’s agonizing. I’m like a caffeine or nico... -
liturgy
A Call to Prayer
O Great Spirit, whose breath gives life to the world, and whose voice is heard in the soft breeze; We need your strength and wisdom. Cause us to walk in beauty. Give us the eyes ever to behold the red... -
illustration
Creating Christian Consumers
I’ve served on staff at a few different churches throughout Silicon Valley for the last decade and a half, including a medium-sized church, a young church plant, and a multisite megachurch. At each, w... -
liturgy
True Love
Merciful Jesus Give us courage to deny privilege to lay down favor and safety in order to take up the cross of opportunity and justice Too often we fail to do this Merciful Jesus Give us courage to d... -
Quote
When I observe the luminous progress and expansion of natural science in modern times, I seem to myself like a traveller going eastwards at dawn, and gazing at the growing light with joy, but also wit... -
Quote
Like a smartphone screen made blank by the rays of direct sunshine, one day we shall see Christ’s face. On that day, all the vain spectacles in this world of illusions and all the pixelated idols of o... -
liturgy
Adapted from Psalm 19 (Inclusive)
Leader: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. People: The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord are sure, making wise th... -
Quote
My experiences with science led me to God. They challenge science to prove the existence of God. But must we really light a candle to see the sun? -
illustration
Blessing Instead of Accusations and Insults
Watching television news is often painful… So much conflict, so many harsh words, so many accusations and insults in the headlines. Too many people speak to others with disrespect and contempt. A grac... -
Quote
It is impossible to use electric light and the wireless and to avail ourselves of modern medical and surgical discoveries, and at the same time believe in the New Testament world of spirits and miracl... -
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Galileo and the Courage to See the Truth
* This story is debated among Galileo scholars, though most would agree that the story conveys Galileo’s unique approach to learning. Galileo Galilei was a man who dared to look beyond what othe... -
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This Place is Enough
A simple refusal motivates my argument: refusal to believe that the present time and place, and the people who are here with us, are somehow not enough. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram act li... -
Quote
Satan blinds hearts by filling eyes with worthless things. His veil over human hearts today is a veil of pixels, and the chains of his spiritual bondage are tethered to the world’s theater. -
Quote
The best things are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of God just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life’s plai... -
illustration
Re-creating the Conditions of Earth
In the desert outside of Tucson, scientists dreamed up an experiment to re-create the conditions of earth for space, when and if the earth could not be made great again. The biosphere was a little wor... -
liturgy
Lord Jesus—the same yesterday, today
Lord Jesus—the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and the author of change, who’s constantly doing “a new thing,” which makes us sit up and take notice. We admit, we’d be more comfortable with a pred... -
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A Social Media Ritual Sacrifice
I witnessed a ritual sacrifice in the middle of a cool, third-wave coffee shop the other day. It’s the sort of place that attracts herds of bearded hipsters and where they brew your coffee by hand, on... -
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George McDonald’s Great Fear
George MacDonald, The Scottish author who had a profound effect on C.S. Lewis among others, once wrote a letter to his father about what he believed would be a great obstacle to his faith; that once h... -
liturgy
Gracious Lord, like Nicodemus, we come
Gracious Lord, like Nicodemus, we come to the word with many questions. Like the Pharisees, we can be captivated by correctness, intent on right answers. As we turn to your word, Spirit of God, do not... -
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The Sacred Alters of Modern Life
Our 24/7 culture conveniently provides every good and service we want, when we want, how we want. Our time – saving devices, technological conveniences, and cheap mobility have seemingly made life muc...
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A
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B
- Babies
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C
- Caesar
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D
- Dancing
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- Death of a Loved One
- Decision-Making
- Decisive Moments
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- Domestic Abuse
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- Dreams
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E
- Earthiness
- Economics
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- Ego
- Elders
- Elections (Political)
- Embrace
- Emotions
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- Endurance
- Enemy
- Energy
- Entertainment
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- Ethics
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- Events
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- Evolution
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- Experience
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- Eyes
- The Earth
- The Epiphany
F
- Face of God
- Facts
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- Faith and Doubt
- Faith Seeking Understanding
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- Fall of Humanity
- Fallacies
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- Fame
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- Family Dysfunction
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- Fears
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- Five Senses
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- Freedom
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- Future
- The False Self
G
- Gamification
- Garden of Eden
- Gardening
- Gardens
- Gaslighting
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- General Revelation
- Generations
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- God's Law
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H
- Habits
- Happiness
- Hard Work
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- Hatred
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- Health
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- Hearing
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- Heart
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- Human Nature
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I
- Ideals
- Identity
- Idolatry
- Ignorance
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- Image
- Image Bearers
- Images
- Impact
- Impatience
- Inauthenticity
- Incomprehensability
- Individualism
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- Infants
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- Information Overload
- Inheritance
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- Innovation
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- Integrity
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- Interactions
- Intercession
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- Invitation
- Irresistible
- Isolation
- Israel
- The Image of God
- The Incarnation
- The Internet
L
- Lack of Accountability
- Lack of Presence
- Lament
- Land
- Landscape
- Language
- Laughter
- Law (Torah)
- Learning
- Learning from our Suffering
- Legacy
- Leisure
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- Life
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- Light
- Light of the World
- Limitations
- Liturgy
- Living
- Living Life
- Living Sacrifice
- Living the Resurrection
- Living Water
- Loneliness
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- Love
- Loving your Neighbor
- The Law
M
- Magic
- Majesty
- Manipulation
- Marital Problems
- Marketing
- Marriage
- Masks
- Materialism
- Materialism (Philosophical)
- Meals
- Meaning
- Media
- Medicine
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- Mental Health
- Mental Illness
- Message of the Bible
- Military Service
- Millenials
- Mind
- Mind and Body
- Miracles
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- Missions
- Mistakes
- Misunderstanding
- Modern Life
- Modern Religion
- Modernity
- Money
- Moon
- Moral Choices
- Mother's Day
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- Music
- Mystery
- Mystery of God
- Mystery of Life
- The Material World
- The Meaning of Life
- The Military
N
O
P
- Pace
- Pain
- Pain and Growth
- Pain and Joy
- Paradox
- Parenting
- Parenting Teenagers
- Parents
- Passion
- Past
- Paths
- Patience
- Peace
- Perfection
- Perfectionism
- Persecuted Church
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- Perseverance of the Saints
- Personal Agendas
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- Perspective
- Philosphy of Life
- Phones
- Photographs
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- Physics
- Pilgrims
- Place
- Placebos
- Play
- Poison
- Political Freedom
- Political Leaders
- Politics
- Pollution
- Poor in Spirit
- Pop Culture
- Popularity
- Possessions
- Postmodernism
- Poverty
- Power
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- Predictions
- Prejudice
- Preparation
- Presence
- President
- Price
- Pride
- Prisoners
- Privilege
- Problems
- Productivity
- Progress
- Propaganda
- Providence
- Provision
- Pruning
- Psychology
- Putting God in a Box
- The Passing of Time
- The Psalms
R
- Race
- Racial Reconciliation
- Racism
- Rage
- Raising Children
- Reality
- Reason
- Receiving Gifts
- Receiving Grace
- Receiving the Gospel
- Reconciliation
- Recovery
- Redeemer
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- Refiner's Fire
- Refining Fire
- Reflection
- Reframing
- Refugees
- Rejecting God
- Rejection
- Relationship with God
- Relationships
- Relevance
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- Remembering
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- Responsibility
- Rest
- Restlessness
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- Resurrection
- Resurrection of the Dead
- Resurrection to New Life
- Retreat
- Revelation
- Revival
- Rhythms
- Rhythms of Rest
- Rich and Poor
- Riches
- Rituals
- Routines
- The Resurrection and the Life
- The Rich
- The Rock
- The Roman Empire
S
- Sabbath
- Sacred
- Sacrifice
- Sacrificial Living
- Sacrificial Love
- Sadness
- Safety
- Salt
- Salt and Light
- Salt of the Earth
- Salvation
- Sanctification
- Satan
- Savior
- School
- Science
- Science and Religion
- Scientists
- Screens
- Scripture
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- Sea
- Security
- Seeking God
- Seeking Happiness
- Seeking the Kingdom
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- Self-Awareness
- Self-Centeredness
- Self-Consciousness
- Self-Control
- Self-Discovery
- Self-Image
- Self-Interest
- Self-Reliance
- Self-Sacrifice
- Self-Talk
- Selfishness
- Selflessness
- Sense of Smell
- Separation
- Sermon on the Mount
- Shallowness
- Sheep
- Shelter
- Sickness
- Signs
- Silence
- Simplicity
- Sin
- Sinfulness
- Single Parents
- Sins of the Church
- Skepticism
- Skin
- Slavery
- Sleep
- Smart Phones
- Snow
- Social Awkwardness
- Social Media
- Society
- Soil
- Soldiers
- Solitude
- Sorrow
- Sovereignty
- Space (Outer)
- Spectacle
- Spiritual Battles
- Spiritual Blindness
- Spiritual Discernment
- Spiritual Dryness
- Spiritual Formation
- Spiritual Growth
- Spiritual Hunger
- Spiritual Problems
- Spring (Season)
- Stars
- Staying Humble
- Stealing
- Step-parents
- Stewardship
- Stewardship of the Environment
- Stories
- Storms
- Storytelling
- Strength
- Stress
- Struggles
- Stuff
- Subjectivism
- Suffering
- Suicide
- Summer
- Sunday School
- Supernatural
- Surgery
- Surprise
- Sustainability
- Sustainer
- Sweetness
- Symbols
- The Sacraments
- The Second Coming Of Christ
- The Soul
T
- Taking A Leap Of Faith
- Taking Inventory
- Taking Up the Cross
- Technological Progress
- Technology
- Teenagers
- Television
- Telling the Truth
- Ten Commandments
- Testing
- Thanksgiving (General)
- Thanksgiving (Holiday)
- The Trinity
- Theology
- Therapy
- Things
- Thought
- Thought Life
- Thought World
- Thoughts
- Threats
- Threats to the Church
- Time
- Timekeeping
- Tired
- Tongue
- Tradition
- Tragedy
- Transcendence
- Transformation
- Translation
- Trauma
- Travel
- Trees
- Trials
- Trouble
- True Love
- Trust
- Trust in God
- Trust in Jesus
- Truth
U
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